Cassette tape
by The Cheshire Cat's Wit
Summary: "Know that I will always, always, forever and in death, love you... Good luck" - When one and another finds their true love. "I wish you the best of luck..." - Where hope seems to have died. "I do" - And where, in the end, love prevails. Rated T, I do not own Naruto.


Cassette Tape

Sasuke smiled at Sakura gently. They were both on top of a really high cliff.

"Hey Sak, first off, congratulations on your wedding tomorrow with Sai... I've honestly never seen you happier than you are now" _and I never will..._

Sakura smiled back at Sasuke. In truth, she knew Sasuke loved her but she loved Sai. She thought that this must be a really tough time for him when in reality; it was more than that... So much more.

"Promise me, Sak, that you'll forever remain happy; as long as you're happy, I'll be fine"

"Of course, Sasuke, why wouldn't I be?"

"By the way, Sak, I can't go to your wedding tomorrow... I'm sorry..."

She looked crestfallen but he smiled at her before gently pulling her into a hug.

"Sakura Haruno... Know that I will always love you – and I know you will never love me back – and that I wish you the best of luck in future, Sai's a lucky man" _More lucky than you will ever know..._

Sakura tightened the hug but Sasuke let go.

"So, Sakura, in truth I brought you here to watch this beautiful view of the sunset – I never got to show you this back when we were younger. It was the place I'd always go to if something went wrong and since I love you, I'm sharing it with you..."

Sakura felt delighted and clasped her hands together. The pair stood side by side, watching the sun disappear past the sea.

"It's time for you to go or else Sai will be worried now, right?"

"Oh! Right! Ok, goodbye Sasuke"

She was surprised though when she went in for a hug but instead received a chaste kiss. Sakura broke out of her shocked state and quickly ran to her car before taking off back to her house; all the while Sasuke remained waving at her.

**The next day: During the wedding**

Sakura was dressed in a simple yet elegant white gown that complimented all her womanly features.

_Sasuke stood on top of the cliff, staring at the sun which was beginning to rise._

She was quickly ushered to the main room where Sai was waiting for her. The church bells began to chime.

_He clutched a heart shaped necklace Sakura gave to him back when they were dating. He could hear the church bells; Sasuke smiled sadly._

As she began to walk to the Alter with her father, she felt a wave of sadness rush over her being.

_Sasuke smiled to himself, she was going to be happy without him._

Sakura reached the Alter and faced Sai.

_He looked down. The pain of losing her, his love, to Sai, his rival, was unbearable._

"Do you, Sai Uchiha, take this woman, Sakura Haruno, to be your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do"

_He knew this was incredibly selfish of him but..._

"Do you, Sakura Haruno, take this man, Sai Uchiha, to be your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I-"

_He jumped._

Her eyes widened in realisation and she ran from the Alter.

She had finally figured out the meaning of his words and she hoped to God that it wasn't too late...

Sakura ran to her dressing room and picked up her keys. After fumbling for a bit she ran for her car.

"No no no... Please still be there... Please be there!"

She drove to the cliff Sasuke had shown her the previous night; only to find he was nowhere in sight.

Sakura didn't care if her white dress got muddy. She kicked off her heels and carefully looked over the edge of the cliff.

The sight that met her eyes scarred her.

The dead and lifeless form of her best friend, Sasuke Uchiha, lay on the beach just below the cliff. His joints were bending at irregular angles and it all looked so... Wrong.

Sakura ran down the mountain and onto the beach. She ran all the way to Sasuke.

"S-Sasuke! Sasuke wake up! This isn't funny!" she yelled at him.

Silence was the only reply to her wails.

"WAKE UP DAMMIT! YOU INCONSIDERATE JERK! WAKE UP!"

"SASUKE! HOW DARE YOU! WAKE UP!"

The family of both Sakura, Sasuke and Sai found her due to her screams and wails.

They pulled her off the body; her kicking and screaming all the while for Sasuke to come back.

**Later...**

Sakura stood in front of an extravagant grave marked with the words:

_Sasuke Uchiha  
The one that loved  
Sakura Haruno_

He personally requested that in his will.

**One month later...**

It was the one month anniversary of Sasuke's burial and Sakura had refused to marry Sai or even continue on with the marriage ceremony.  
She considered it her fault that he had died, which, to some, was exactly the right answer.

She prayed at his grave daily, not missing one in fear of losing the grave altogether.

Sakura arrived back home only to be greeted by a very, very sad Mikoto Uchiha sitting in her living room.

The mother of Sasuke walked up to Sakura reluctantly.

"This is Sasuke's will... He wanted you to have it"

Sakura sensed the disgust and pent up anger in her voice as she said so.

"Thank you... "

Mikoto only brushed past her and out of the door.

Sakura read his will:

In the event of my death, Sakura Haruno will be given the items taped to this piece of paper.  
On my gravestone, I wish the words 'Sasuke Uchiha The one who loved Sakura Haruno' to be engraved onto my gravestone.

It was short, precise and so full of Sasuke.

A tear escaped her eye as she remembered his unique persona.

Sakura looked at the objects neatly stacked on top of her table, it seems Mikoto removed the items for her.  
One was a cassette tape, another was a heart shaped necklace and the last one was the picture of an empty cliff and a beautiful sunset.

She sobbed softly whilst staring at the picture.

Sakura stared at the cassette tape. She placed it into her player and it began...

"_Promise me, Sak, that you'll forever remain happy; as long as you're happy, I'll be fine"_

"_Of course, Sasuke, why wouldn't I be?"_

_..._

"_Sakura Haruno... Know that I will always love you – and I know you will never love me back – and that I wish you the best of luck in future, Sai's a lucky man"_

_..._

"_Oh! Right! Ok, goodbye Sasuke"_

"_Goodbye..." _

_..._

"_Hey Sak, er... If you're listening to this, know that I meant every word I've said and that... I'll always, always, forever and in death, love you... Good luck Sak and remember, keep your promise to me... Ok?"_

It ended.

Sakura sobbed and cried and screamed and wailed. But none of that could help her.  
She listened to the recording over and over and over again just to his hear his loving and caring voice.  
Sakura barely caught the "Goodbye" at the end and when she did, she couldn't help but take into account that he sounded so solemn, broken and happy at the same time.

**2 months after his burial and death...**

Sakura stood atop the cliff that had once belonged to Sasuke.

_The cliff had eroded away at the bottom and it was weaker than it once was._

_Crack!_

She paid no heed to the sounds around her, the sun was beautiful... Almost as beautiful as the night where Sakura was first introduced to the view.

_Cr-Cr-Craaack!_

If only Sasuke was there to witness the view... Everything would be perfect. In all honesty, she took Sasuke for granted and now that he was gone; she realised that...

_**CRACK!**_

"I love you, Sasuke"

**A day later...**

"Families of both Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha both grieve; the pair being famously reported for their deaths being on the same cliff.

Reports say that Sakura, the second to be deceased, was found underneath rocks but was killed by the fall from the cliff. Cliff experts claim that the rock was weak when she was standing on it due to years of erosion; they warn more families of being careful of cliffs and especially advise that children steer clear of them...

Sasuke, on the other hand – and first to be deceased, had reportedly committed suicide out of his LOVE for Sakura. The young man was the cousin to Sakura's betrothed.

May they both rest in peace..."

_Fin._

* * *

Much thanks for reading - sorry if it was too cheesy, this idea came up to me in the middle of the night and I had to write it down...  
Once again, thank you.


End file.
